FIMA Ch11: Thoughs

The second period math class ended quickly.

The homeroom teacher came to the classroom, shooed all the students out, and welcomed the parents who had taken time out of their schedules.

Gu Siyuan, the only student in the entire grade without the pressure of college entrance exams and without parents needing to attend, simply returned to the dormitory to continue writing his program. Making money was urgent.

The parents sat in their children’s seats, re-experiencing being students. Some of them were even old acquaintances from work, chatting casually before the meeting officially began.

“Mr. Zhao, long time no see?” Xie Chengfeng greeted a middle-aged man in a suit with a smile.

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before recognizing him, smiling distantly, “Oh, it’s Mr. Xie from Elegant Pavilion?”

Elegant Pavilion was once a well-known antique and art shop in City A. Although its profits weren’t great in recent years, its reputation was excellent due to its authentic goods.

In recent years, however, it had changed owners, started targeting the mass market, and its business had improved, but its tone had declined.

Those in the city who considered themselves of some status were reluctant to patronize it.

However, for the shop owner, it’s hard to say which path is better. In the balance of life, there is a predestined order.

“That’s me,” Xie Chengfeng smiled without the slightest reduction in his cheerfulness and continued, “It’s such a coincidence, I didn’t expect that your child and mine are actually in the same class.”

A smile met with a smile; Mr. Zhao always smiled and responded, “I’ve been really busy. It used to be my wife who attended the parent-teacher meetings. Now that the child is in the third year of high school and still not doing well in studies, I wanted to have a detailed talk with the teacher.”

“Yes, you are a busy man,” Xie Chengfeng continued to flatter.

Seeing Xie Chengfeng’s relaxed expression, completely unconcerned about his child’s grades, Mr. Zhao asked, “Is your child very obedient?”

“Ah, he has a stubborn personality, but his grades are decent,” Xie Chengfeng waved his hand dismissively.

Mr. Zhao squinted thoughtfully, then said with some surprise, “I just saw the rankings on the board, and it seems the child in third place has the same surname as you…”

Xie Chengfeng nodded, barely hiding his smile, “That’s my eldest.”

Mr. Zhao’s smile deepened, “Oh, I’d be content if my kid could get half the marks of yours…”

Xie Chengfeng was flattered, “You’re too kind, Mr. Zhao. He’s an Omega; no matter how good his grades are, it won’t mean much in the future.”

“It’s even more impressive for an Omega to have such good grades; your child is very smart.” Mr. Zhao dryly praised, knowing full well that while he could criticize his own child, others couldn’t.

Inside the classroom, the parents were happily socializing.

Outside in the hallway, groups of three to five students had very different moods.

Huo Yi, leaning against the balcony railing, said despairingly to Xie Qingxiao beside him, “I’m dead. When I go home tonight, my mom will definitely grab my ear and lecture me.”

Xie Qingxiao replied, “You’re just too lazy. Didn’t the teacher say you’re smart but just don’t like studying? That’s why your grades are like this.”

Huo Yi snorted, quite honestly saying, “Ha, I think you’re overestimating me. Don’t I know my own capabilities? If I were really smart, I would’ve studied seriously long ago without needing the teacher to tell me. I’m slacking off now just to give myself a psychological excuse. Otherwise, wouldn’t I have to admit openly that I’m just plain stupid, which is why I score so low?”

“That’s an interesting way to put it,” Xie Qingxiao gave a thumbs up.

Inborn intelligence doesn’t make one superior; effort later in life is more praiseworthy.

“Did you hurt your leg?” At this moment, a deep male voice suddenly sounded in the ears of the two who were chatting happily.

Xie Qingxiao looked up at the newcomer, raised his eyebrows, and said nothing.

Huo Yi curled his lips, “Isn’t this Shen Ting, the great young master?”

Shen Ting ignored Huo Yi and continued to ask Xie Qingxiao, “Did you get injured on the basketball court on Saturday?”

Huo Yi sneered, “I thought you were blind. Finally, you noticed?”

Shen Ting frowned and looked displeasedly at Xie Qingxiao.

Of course, he knew that Huo Yi’s attitude was due to his loyalty to Xie Qingxiao.

So, he didn’t need to pay attention to Huo Yi. Since Huo Yi was Xie Qingxiao’s friend, this situation was Xie Qingxiao’s problem to resolve if he wanted to continue interacting with Shen Ting.

Xie Qingxiao had been observing Shen Ting with interest. Now, sensing the emotion in Shen Ting’s eyes, he couldn’t help but laugh strangely.

Indeed, in the past, he wouldn’t have needed Shen Ting’s prompting. Just hearing Huo Yi’s tone, he would’ve smoothly changed the topic, never letting Shen Ting lose face.

But now… ha.

Shen Ting looked at his smile, his face darkened, and his gaze grew more impatient, “What are you laughing at? Say something, yes or no.”

Still smiling, Xie Qingxiao tucked his hair behind his ear and said softly, “What to say? Say yes, I did get injured on the basketball court on Saturday evening.

“But Shen Ting, you left so quickly and decisively that day, and even when we met later, you didn’t notice my leg injury. So, what’s the point of asking now? To ease your conscience?”

Shen Ting frowned.

He hadn’t expected the usually gentle and accommodating Xie Qingxiao to be so sharp.

All because he didn’t notice a small injury? How childish.

Shen Ting sneered, lost interest in continuing the conversation, and turned to leave.

He never intended to genuinely date Xie Qingxiao, so spending more time and effort was annoying. He had no patience for playing such coquettish and cold war games.

In fact, Shen Ting hadn’t noticed Xie Qingxiao’s leg injury until now. Even if he had, he usually wouldn’t ask.

It was only because Lu Jiayang noticed Xie Qingxiao’s difficulty moving, felt guilty about running off the other day, and urged Shen Ting to ask.

Huo Yi watched Shen Ting’s retreating back, almost jumping in anger, “What’s with his attitude? Is he brain-damaged? Who asked him to come over? Who begged him? Why the sarcastic smile?”

“Yeah, probably brain-damaged,” Xie Qingxiao seemed completely unaffected by Shen Ting’s sudden departure. Leaning leisurely on the balcony, he rested his chin on his hand and nodded calmly.

Huo Yi turned to scrutinize Xie Qingxiao, nodding in satisfaction.

Xie Qingxiao had indeed grown up, no longer the fool who treated Shen Ting like a precious gem.

Sensing the deep meaning in Huo Yi’s gaze, Xie Qingxiao couldn’t help but smile.

He then narrowed his beautiful eyes and glanced casually somewhere.

Shen Ting, who had just left in a huff, was now laughing heartily under Lu Jiayang’s consolation.

Huo Yi followed his gaze and saw the scene, grumbling, “His relationship with his good brother is so strong, he might as well spend his life with his good brother instead of dating.”

Xie Qingxiao laughed again, but his tone was as flat as still water, “Hmm, how do you know he doesn’t want to?”

“What did you say?…” Huo Yi widened his eyes in surprise.

…

About an hour and a half later, the parents attending the meeting in the classroom started to come out one after another.

The hallway was bustling with noise.

A few hot-tempered parents couldn’t wait to get home and were already scolding their kids right there.

Xie Qingxiao squinted at Xie Chengfeng, who was talking excitedly to someone not far away, and felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

Soon, Xie Chengfeng squeezed through the crowd and came up to Xie Qingxiao.

Then, with a rare look of affection and satisfaction in his eyes, he gave Xie Qingxiao a mysterious look. This was as rare as a rain of red from the sky.

Xie Chengfeng lowered his voice and asked, “I just heard someone say you’re dating the young master from the Shen family?”

Xie Qingxiao squinted his eyes, “Hmm, who said that?”

Xie Chengfeng, with hidden joy, lightly scolded, “What’s the matter with you? Since you’re dating Young Master Shen, why didn’t you tell your father?”

“Who said that?” Xie Qingxiao frowned unhappily.

Seeing his reaction, Xie Chengfeng’s joy faded quite a bit, and his tone turned harsh, “What, I’m your father, and I can’t know? Your wings have really hardened, haven’t they?”

After saying that, he no longer cared about Xie Qingxiao’s reaction and started looking around for Shen Ting, hoping to greet him, but didn’t see him.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, pointing somewhere, “Isn’t that Madam Shen’s bag?”

Xie Qingxiao lazily nodded, “Seems like it.”

“You kid, why don’t you go over and return it to leave a good impression? Standing there like a dummy…” Xie Chengfeng scolded and urged.

Xie Qingxiao didn’t want to approach them.

However, compared to being neurotically lectured by Xie Chengfeng, and possibly making things awkward, he’d rather deliver the bag.

The setting sun cast a beautiful, elegant scene on the Western-style buildings of Beichuan High School, almost like an oil painting.

In the quiet corridor of the building, someone was speaking.

Shen Ting’s mother, holding Shen Ting’s arm, said gently, “I’ve known for a while that you’re dating, but I just saw him officially. That pretty Omega you were talking to in the hallway, right?”

“Yes,” Shen Ting responded indifferently.

“Shen Ting, your father and I haven’t controlled you much since you were young, but I must say, your taste in choosing an Omega is questionable.”

“For a family like ours, it’s a lie to say we don’t have any expectations. But insisting on matching backgrounds isn’t necessary either. It’s just… I’ve seen many people who climbed up from the bottom. At first glance, I could tell this one isn’t so obedient. He’s deeply calculating. Can you handle him in the future…”

Her voice and tone seemed extremely gentle and tolerant, but her words and gaze were filled with undeniable disdain.

Hearing this, Shen Ting didn’t refute or defend, just chuckled softly and put his arm around his mother’s shoulder, “Mom, it’s just a casual fling. Is there a need to think so deeply? And even talk about the future? Go back and have some tea and do some beauty treatments with the aunts.”

“You… as long as you know what you’re doing.” She and his father had always let him make his own decisions since he was young, but she couldn’t help but sigh helplessly, “What a pity Jiayang isn’t an Omega.”

Shen Ting smiled obediently.

In the warm winter sun, the atmosphere between the two was harmonious, a beautiful picture of motherly love and filial piety.

Around the corner, Xie Qingxiao leaned against a thick pillar, casually swinging a leather bag strap in his hand, his expression inscrutable, as if smiling, but upon closer inspection, not quite.

He suddenly recalled what Gong Li said during their argument yesterday afternoon.

“You’re an Omega, so young, but so scheming…”

Actually, she wasn’t wrong.

He was indeed deeply scheming.

At that moment, Xie Qingxiao felt a light tap on his shoulder.